How exactly does a dual-monitor setup work?

[kuber]

Can you set up each one as a different X desktop?? I have the hardware to try this but I was wondering what use of it you can make...

[Herring]

I'm bumping this one up as I have a vested interest. I run dual monitors in Windows 98 SE because I had an old monitor and a second video card. It comes in very handy with applications such as Microstation or Photoshop where you have to have a bunch of palettes/toolboxes opened. I keep them in one window and the actual drawing in the main window.
I'm hoping I can do the same with Linux, but it's just a brand new world to me. Let's just get the GUI thing happening and take it from there.

[Tyr-7BE]

Hrmmm...I'm really not sure. X runs on one filesystem, and when an X session is active, a lock file is created in /var somewhere that prevents another one from being started up. However, if you can tell one X session to operate in one place and another to operate in another part of the fs, then it is possible...you just have to have a whole lot of duplicate files. Select the drivers for the separate video cards and you're good to go. The tricky part would be telling a copy of X to take its business elsewhere. Try XFree86.org and see if they have something about this in the FAQ.